On this episode of the Rent It Out Podcast, Cal sits down with Nikki, who shares how she’s growing a tote rental business, not through ads or cold outreach, but through simple, consistent networking.
After years as a stay-at-home mom, Nikki found herself stepping into unfamiliar territory: meeting new people, attending events, and building connections from scratch. What started as a small effort to support their business quickly turned into a powerful customer acquisition strategy.
Instead of pitching or selling, Nikki focuses on building real relationships and those relationships are turning into rentals, referrals, and long-term opportunities.
If you’ve ever struggled with finding customers or felt uncomfortable selling, this episode will give you a practical, approachable path forward.
In this episode:
- How Nikki went from “knowing no one” to building a strong network
- Why networking works better than selling for service-based rentals
- The exact follow-up system she uses after meeting people
- How realtors are becoming a key referral source
- What to say (and not say) when talking about your business
- Why relationship-building beats hard sales every time
- How to get started networking, even if you’re uncomfortable
Resources Mentioned:
- Local networking groups and events
- Realtor partnerships
- Small Business Development Centers
What is Rent It Out: The Rental Side Hustle Podcast?
What if the stuff sitting in your garage, driveway, or backyard could pay your bills?
Every week, host Cal Hardage sits down with real people who are building income by renting out the things they own — trailers, tents, bounce houses, kayaks, tools, cameras, party gear, and things you'd never think to rent. They share exactly how they got started, what they charge, how they find customers, and what they wish they'd known sooner.
No real estate. No landlord headaches. Just creative people turning everyday items into reliable income streams.
Whether you're looking to earn a few hundred extra dollars a weekend or build a full rental business on the side, you'll walk away from every episode with real numbers, real stories, and ideas you can act on immediately.
New episodes every week.
List it. Rent it. Repeat.
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